Enclosure latch

ABSTRACT

A LATCH FOR A BOX-LIKE ENCLOSURE INCLUDING A ONE PIECE ELEMENT, A SPRING SURROUNDING A LONG OF THE LATCH ELEMENT AND BEARING AGAINST THE UNDER SURFACE OF THE ENCLOSURE, A ROLL PIN REMOVABLY POSITIONED IN AN OPENING OF THE LATCH ELEMENT TO ADD STABILITY IN DIRECTION PERPENDICLAR TO THE PLANE OF MOTION OF THE LATCH ELEMENT, THE LATCH ELEMENT FURTHER HAVING A SHOULDER ENGAGEABLE WITH A SIDE WALL OF THE SLOT OF THE ENCLOSURE RECEIVING THE LATCH ELEMENT TO PREVENT THE LATCH ELEMENT FROM BEING PULLED OUT OF THE SLOT AND HAVING AN UPPER HOOK FORMED INTEGRALLY THEREWITH CAPABLE OF ENGAGING THE COVER PORTION OF THE ENCLOSURE TO ACCOMPLISH THE LATCHING FUNCTION.

0d. 26, 1971 c. DE VISSER ENCLOSURE LATCH Filed oct. 1v. 1969 UnitedStates Patent O 3,615,113 ENCLOSURE LATCH Christian De Visser, Clinton, Ill., assgnor to General Electric Company Filed Oct. 17, 1969, Ser. No. 867,314 Int. Cl. E051: 19/.72

ILS. Cl. 292-128 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A latch for a box-like enclosure including a one piece latch element, a spring surrounding a long leg of the latch element and bearing against the under surface of the enclosure, a roll pin removably positioned in an opening of the latch element to add stability in directions perpendicular to the plane of motion of the latch element, the latch element further having a shoulder engageable with a side wall of the slot of the enclosure receiving the latch element to prevent the latch element from being pulled out of the slot and having an upper hook formed integrally therewith capable of engaging the cover portion of the enclosure to accomplish the latching function.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (l) Field of the invention My invention relates to electrical equipment enclosures, and more particularly to an improvement for such enclosures having a latchable cover portion.

(2) Description of the prior art Through the years as is evident from the prior art, a number of different latching means have been proposed for use for purposes of accomplishing the latching functions in an enclosure having a latchable cover portion. Generally speaking however each of these different latching means has 'been found to be deficient in one or more respects particularly with regard to the complexity of their individual structure as well as with regard to the relative costs involved in manufacturing such complex structures. In addition, there are disadvantages involved insofar as the attachment of such prior art latching means to a given enclosure is concerned.

For example, as exemplary of the teachings of the prior art, one procedure hertofore commonly followed for purposes of attaching a prior art latching means to an enclosure necessitates the fastening of an essentially L-shaped bracket such as by welding to the under side of a suitable flange portion of the enclosure. Adjacent to the downwardly extending leg potrion of the welded bracket is positioned the latch per se which comprises an elongated member having a hook element at one end thereof and a suitable opening at the other end thereof. The latter opening receives a pivot bearing having a torsion spring surrounding a portion of reduced diameter of the bearing. The assembly comprising the latch per se, the torsion spring, and the pivot bearing are secured to the downwardly extending leg portion of the bracket by means of a lockwasher and screw, the latter being threaded into a suitable threaded opening provided for this purpose in the aforesaid leg portion of the bracket. As such the hook element of the latch extends upwardly through a suitable slot provided therefor in the liange of the enclosure. It is readily apparent that the above-described procedure for attaching prior art latching means to an enclosure involves the use of many different parts as Well as the performance of a number of cumbersome and time-consuming steps of assembly. Moreover, Iwith the aforesaid procedure the alignment of the bracket relative to the slot in the 3,615,1l3 Patented Oct. 26, 1971 ice OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for enclosures having a latchable cover portion, a novel and improved latch which is characterized by its simplicity of construction and ease of assembly to and of dissassembly from the enclosure.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a latch for enclosures having a latchable cover portion wherein the need to permanently affix to the enclosure the means for attaching the latch thereto has been obviated.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a latch having means associated therewith for providing added stability to the latch when positioned on the enclosure in directions perpendicular to the plane of the latching component of the latch.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide for enclosures having a latchable cover portion such a latch which is durable in service, 'but yet is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with a preferred form of the present invention there is provided a single piece, self-retaining latch member for use with enclosures having a latchable cover portion. The latch member includes at one end thereof a hooking means capable of engaging with the enclosure cover portion. The latch member further includes a notch approximately centrally located along the length thereof. The upper portion of this notch effects the pivoting of the latch member about an edge of the slot with which one flange of the enclosure is provided for purposes of receiving the latch member. The lower portion of the notch acts as a shoulder to prevent the latch member from being withdrawn from the aforesaid slots as the latch member pivots between a latching position and an unlatching position. The opposite end of the latch member from that provided with the hooking means extends through the slotted enclosure flange and is encompassed by a coil spring which keeps the hooking means in a latched condition relative to the enclosure cover portion when the latch member is pivoted to its latching position. In addition the coil spring functions to retain the latch member properly positioned within the slot in the enclosure flange. A roll pin is preferably provided extending through the latch member at substantially right angles thereto for the purpose of providing added stability to the latch member in directions perpendicular to the latch members plane of motion.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an enclosure having a latchable cover portion provided with a latching means in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the enclosure of FIG. l illustrating the latching means in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the latching means in accordance with the present invention taken substantially along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2, and illustrating the latching means in the latched position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional side view similar to PIG. 3 of the latching means in accordance with the present invention, but illustrating the latching means in the unlatched position; and

FIG. is an exploded perspective view of the latching means in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing the invention is shown as incorporated in an electrical equipment enclosure having a latchable front cover 11, top and bottom walls 12 and 13, respectively, side walls 14 and 15, respectively, and rear wall 16. The latchable cover 11 is suitably hinged by conventional means (not shown) to side wall 14 for movement between a closed position as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing and an open position (not shown) that enables access to be had to the electrical equipment suitably housed in the enclosure 10. An operating handle 17 for the electrical equipment housed within the enclosure 10 can be seen in FIG. 1 to be projecting from the interior i to the exterior of enclosure 10 through a suitable opening (not shown) provided therefor in ange portion 18 of side wall 15. Apart from operating handle 17, the aforesaid electrical equipment has not been illustrated in the drawing inasmuch as the construction and operation of such equipment is well-known to those skilled in the art and inasmuch as the equipment per se forms no part of the instant invention. i

As seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing and as will be discussed more fully hereinafter, a latching means 19 is detachably supported on ange 18 of side wall 15 of er1- closure 10. In accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention, the latching means 19 comprises a single piece, self-retaining latch member 20. Referring to FIG. 5 of the drawing, the latch member 20 includes at one end thereof a hook 21 capable of engaging with a cooperating portion of the enclosure cover 11. The latch member 20 further includes a notch 22 approximately centrally located in one edge portion along the length thereof. The upper portion 22a of the notch 22 eiects the pivoting of the latch member 20 about the edge 23a of slot 23 which is provided in ange 18 of enclosure side wall to receive the latch member 20. The lower portion 22b of the notch 22 acts as a shoulder to prevent the latching member from being accidentally withdrawn from slot 23 as the latch member 20 pivots between a latched condition as illustrated in FIG. 3 and an unlatched condition as illustrated in FIG. 4. Approximately opposite notch 22 along the other edge portion of latch member 20, there is provided an indented portion 24 which abuts against the edge 23b of slot 23 as the latch member moves to the latched condition illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing. It is thus readily apparent that when in the latched condition, the latch member 20 may have up to three points of contact with the enclosure 10, i.e., hook 21 with cover 11, lower portion 22b of notch 22 with the underside of edge 23a of slot 23, and indented portion 24 with edge 23b of slot 23.

The opposite end of the latch member 20 from that provided with the hook 21 is provided with curved portions 25 and 26, respectively, and slot 27. The width of latch member 20 as measured between the outermost portion of notch 22 and the underside of indented portion 24 exceeds the length of slot 23 as measured between edges 23a and 23b thereof. Accordingly, the contours of curved portions 25 and 26, respectively, are specically shaped such that the lowermost portion of latch member 20 as viewed with reference to FIG. 3 of the drawing must be threaded through the slot 23 provided in flange 18 of enclosure side Wall 15. That is, the aforesaid lowermost portion of latch member 20 is threaded through the slot 23 until lower portion 22b of notch 22 is adjacent the underside of edge 23a of slot 23 and indented portion 24 is adjacent the upper side of edge 23b of slot 23. In the process of threading the latch member 20v through the slot 23 the lowermost portion of latch member 20 is extended through slot 23 until the narrow center part thereof adjacent curved portion 26 is below edge 23b of slot 23. Then latch member 20 is rotated clockwise as Viewed with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 to move lower portion 2212 of notch 22 from above ange portion 18 to the under side thereof adjacent edge `23a of slot 23. To unthread latch member 20 from slot 23, the above-described procedure is reversed.

When latch member 20 is thus positioned within slot 23, thel ower portion 22b of notch 22 as previously mentioned hereinabove prevents the accidental upward withdrawal of latch member 20 from slot 23 whereas indented portion 24 prevents an accidental downward withdrawal of the latch member 20 through slot 23. The lower portion 22b of notch 22 and the indented portion 24 constitute restraining means and the latch member 20 thus once threaded into the slot 23 in the manner described hereinabove remains captured therein unless deliberately withdrawn therefrom. On the other hand, the latch member 20 is still free to pivot about upper portion 22a of notch 22 and as such to move between the latched condition depicted in FIG. 3 of the drawing and the unlatched condition depicted in FIG. 4.

The latching means 19 further comprises a coil spring 28 which as best seen with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawing encompasses the lowermost portion of latch member 20. More particularly, the coil spring 28 has one end which is suitably retained in the aforedescribed slot 27 provided in latch member 20 and has the other end positioned in abutting relation to the underside of ange 18 adjacent edge 23b of slot 23. In assembling the latching means. 19 on the flange 18 of side wall 15 of enclosure 10, it is of course to be understood that the latch member 20 is rst threaded into slot 23 in the manner previously described whereupon the coil spring 28 is then positioned on the lowermost portion of latch member 20. The coil spring 28 is intended to perform a dual function. That is, when the latch member 20 is moved to the latched condition depicted in FIG. 3, the coil spring 28 functions to keep the hook 21 in engagement with the cooperating portion of enclosure cover 11. In addition, when the latch member 20 is in the unlatched condition as illustrated in FIG. 4 the coil spring 28 functions to retain latch member 20 properly aligned relative to the edges 23a and 23b of slot 23.

In accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention, the latching means 19 additionally comprises support means shown in the form of a roll pin 29 which is intended to be received in opening 30 provided therefor in latch member 20. As best seen with reference to FIG. 2 of the drawing, with the latch member 20 positioned in slot 23, the roll pin 29 is approximately centered in opening 30 in latch member 20 such that the roll pin 29 spans the slot 23 adjacent the upper side of flange 18. With the roll pin 29 so positioned at approximately right angles to the latch member 20, the roll pin 29 affords additional stability to the latch member 20 in directions perpendicular to the plane of motion of the latch member 20. In the absence of roll pin 29, there would normally inherently occur some wobbling insofar as the latch member 20 is concerned in moving between the latched and the unlatched conditions inasmuch as there commonly exists some clearance between the side walls of the slot 23 and the side walls of latch member 20. The use of roll pin 29 thus serves to essentially eliminate this wobbling.

As lbest seen with reference to FIGS. 2 and 5 of the drawing, the hook 21 of latch member 20 preferably cooperates with a substantially L-shaped bracket 31. The bracket 31 has one leg 32 suitably secured to downwardly extending flange 11a of enclosure cover 11. The other leg 33 of L-shaped bracket 31 is provided with an elongated slot 34, the dimensions of which correspond generally to those of previously described slot 23 located in flange 18 of enclosure side wall 15. The width of slot 34 in bracket 31 will however normally be somewhat larger than that of slot 23 in order to permit the uppermost portion of latch member 20 to be received in the slot 34 as the enclosure cover 11 is pivoted from an open position to a closed position.

With further reference of FIG. 2 of the drawing, if desired, a suitable gasket 35 may be suitably affixed to the inner surface at ange 11a such that when the cover 11 is closed, the gasket 35 will provide a seal between the downwardlly extending ange 11a of enclosure cover 11 and the upwardly extending leg 18a of flange of enclosure side wall 15. The desirability of employing the gasket 35 will most often be predicated upon a consideration of the specific use to which the enclosure 11 will be put as well as upon a consideration of the nature of the particular environment in which the enclosure 11 will be located.

Turning now to the method of assembling the latching means 19 on the enclosure 10, this is preferably accomplished in the following manner. With the cover 11 in its open position, the lowermost portion of the latch member 20 is threaded into slot 23 in flange 18 of enclosure side wall until lower portion 22b of notch 22 is adjacent the underside of edge 23a of slot 23 and indented portion 24 is adjacent the upper side of edge 23b of slot 23. The roll pin 29 is then placed in opening 30 in latch member 20 such that the roll pin 29 spans the slot 23 adjacent the upper side of flange 18. Thereafter, the coil spring 2S is positioned on the lowermost portion of latch member in encompassing relation relative thereto. That is, one end of the coil spring 28 is positioned in slot 27 of latch member 20 while the other end of the coil spring 28 is placed in abutting relation against the underside of ange 18 adjacent edge 23b of slot 23. This completes the assembly of the latching means 19 on the enclosure 10. In order to disassemble the latching means 19 from the enclosure 10, it is merely necessary to reverse the above-described procedure.

With the latching means 19 so mounted on the enclosure 10, the enclosure cover 11 is now capable of being latched in its closed position. One has merely to close the cover 11 during the course of which movement the uppermost portion of latch member 20 will be received in slot 34 of bracket 31, the latter being fastened to flange 11a of flange 11 as previously described. Latching member 20 is then pivoted about upper portion 22a of notch 22 until hook 21 engages the upper surface of bracket 31 adjacent edge 34a of slot 34 as depicted in FIG. 3 of the drawing. To prevent unauthorized access to the equipment housed within enclosure 11, the uppermost portion of latch member 20 may be provided with a relatively large opening 36 capable of receiving a suitable padlock 37 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing. With padlock 37 unlocked and removed from the opening 36, latch member 20 may be pivoted to the right as viewed with reference to FIG. 4 of the drawing until hook 21 clears the edge 34a of slot 34 whereupon enclosure cover 11 may once again be raised to its open position.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention there has Ibeen provided a novel and improved latching means for enclosure having a latchable cover portion. This latching means is characterized by its simplicity of construction, and ease of assembly to and of disassembly from the enclosure. Further the need inherent in prior art thereof may readily be made by those skilled in the art. For example if so desired, the hook 21 of latch member 20 may be made to cooperate with the enclosure cover 11 in some other manner not requiring the use of substantially L-shaped bracket 31. I therefore intend fby the appended claims to cover the above modifications as well as all other modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A latching means in an enclosure having a cover movable lbetween on open portion and a closed position relative to a side wall of said enclosure comprising:

(a) a latch member loosely retained unconnected thereto in a slot in said side wall of said enclosure;

(b) said latch member including pivot means formed as an integral part thereof cooperable with said slot for pivoting said latch member in said slot between an unlatching position and a latching position;

(c) said latch member further including as an integral part thereof restraining means for preventing said latch member from being accidentally withdrawn from said slot as said latch member pivots from said unlatching position to said latching position;

(d) said latch member having a hooking means formed at one end thereof for engagement with said cover when said latch member is pivoted to said latching position;

(e) said latch member having a slot formed therein adjacent the other end thereof;

(f) support means laterally engaging said latch member in juxtaposed relation to said pivot means to provide added stability to said latch member in directions substantially perpendicular to the plane of motion of said latch member; and

(g) spring means comprising a coil spring, said coil spring having one end thereof positioned in said slot in said latch member and said coil spring having the other end thereof in engagement with said side wall of said enclosure, said spring exerting a force to keep said hooking means in engagement with said cover and thereby said cover latched in said closed position when said latch member is in said latching position, and said coil spring aiding to maintain said latch member properly positioned within said slot in said side Wall when said latch member is in said unlatching position.

2. A latching means is an enclosure having a cover movable between an open position and a closed position relative to a side wall of said enclosure comprising:

(a) a latch member loosely retained unconnected thereto in a slot in said side wall of said enclosure;

(b) said latch member including pivot means formed as an integral part thereof cooperable with said slot for pivoting said latch member in said slot between an unlatching position and a latching position;

(c) said latch member further including as an integral part thereof restraining means for preventing said latch member from being accidentally withdrawn from said slot as said latch member pivots from said unlatching position to said latching position;

(d) said latch member having a hooking means formed at one end thereof for engagement with said cover when said latch member is pivoted to said latching position;

(e) said latch member having an opening provided therein;

(f) support means laterally engaging said latch member in juxtaposed relation to said pivot means to provide added stability to said latch member in directions substantially perpendicular to the plane of motion of said latch member, said support means comprising a roll pin having a sufficient length to span said slot in said side wall of said enclosure,

said roll pin being received in said opening in said latch member in juxtaposed relation to said slot in said side wall; and

(g) spring means having one end thereof attached to said latch member and the other end thereof in engagement With said side Wall of said enclosure, said spring means exerting a force to keep said hooking means in engagement with said cover and thereby said cover latched in said closed position when said latch member is in said latching position, and said spring means aiding to maintain said latch member properly positioned within said slot in said side Wall when said latch member is in said unlatching position.

3. A latching means in an enclosure having a cove movable between an open position and a closed position relative to a side wall of said enclosure comprising:

(a) a latch member loosely retained unconnected thereto in a slot in said side wall of said enclosure;

(b) said latch member including pivot means formed as an integral part thereof cooperable with said slot for pivoting said latch member in said slot between an unlatching position and a latching position;

(c) said latch member further including as an integral part thereof restraining means for preventing said latch member from being accidentally Withdrawn from said slot as said latch member pivots from said unlatching position to said latching position;

(d) said latch member having a hooking means formed at one end thereof for engagement with said cover when said latch member is pivoted to said latching position;

(e) said latch member having a slot formed therein adjacent the other end thereof;

(f) support means laterally engaging said latch member in juxtaposed relation to said pivot means to provide added stability to said latch member in directions substantially perpendicular to the plane of motion of said latch member; and

(g) spring means comprising a coil spring encompassing at least a portion of said latch member, said coil spring having one end thereof positioned in said slot in said latch member and said coil spring having the other end thereof abutting said side Wall of said enclosure adjacent to said slot in said side wall, said spring means exerting a force to keep said hooking means in engagement with said cover and thereby said cover latched in said closed position when said latch member is in said latching position, and said spring means aiding to maintain said latch member properly positioned within said slot in said side wall when said latch member is in said unlatching position.

4. A latching means in an enclosure as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said pivot means comprises a lirst portion of a notch formed in said latch member along one edge thereof, said first portion of said notch effecting the pivoting of said latch member about an edge of said slot in said side wall of said enclosure; and

(b) said restraining means comprises a second portion of said notch and a projecting shoulder formed v along the other edge of said latch member approximately opposite to said notch.

5. In an enclosure having a cover movable between an open position and a closed position relative to a side wall of said enclosure, the improvement comprising a latching means including: n

(a) a latch member loosely retained unconnected thereto in a slot in said side wall of said enclosure;

(b) said latch member pivot means for pivoting said latch member in said slot between an unlatching position and a latching position, said pivot means comprising a irst portion of a notch formed in said latch member along one edge thereof, said iirst portion of said notch effecting the pivoting of Said latch member about an edge of said slot in said side wall of said enclosure;

(c) said latch member further including restraining means for preventing said latch member from being accidentally withdrawn from said slot as said latch member pivots from said unlatching position to said latching position, said restraining means including a second portion of said notch and a projecting shoulder formed along the other edge of said latch member approximately opposite to said notch;

(d) said latch member having a hooking means formed at one end thereof for engagement with said cover when said latch member is pivoted to said latching position;

(e) said latch member having a slot formed therein adjacent the other end thereof; and

(f) a coil spring encompassing at least a portion of said latch member, said coil spring having one end thereof positioned in said slot in said latch member and said coil spring having the other end thereof abutting said side wall of said enclosure adjacent to said slot in said side wall, said coil spring exerting a force to keep said hooking means in engagement with said cover and thereby said cover latched in said closed position when said latch member is in said latching position, and said coil spring aiding to maintain said latch member properly positioned within said slot in said side wall when said latch member is in said unlatching position.

6. In an enclosure having a cover movable between an open position and a closedv position relative to a side Wall of said enclosure, the improvement comprising a latching means as set forth in claim 5 wherein:

(a) said latch member has an opening provided therein; and

(b) support means laterally engage said latch member to provide added stability to said latch member in directions substantially perpendicular to the plane of motion of said latch member, said support means comprising a roll pin having a suicient length to span said slot in said side wall of said enclosure, said roll pin being received in said opening in said latch member in juxtaposed relation to said slot in said side wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 604,786 5/ 1898 Pletcher 292-128 805,621 l1/1905 Beehler 292-121 970,661 9/ 1910 Stoddard 292-128 2,510,582 6/1950 Johnson 292-128 2,704,219 3/ 1955 Harsch 292-128 2,710,212 6/ 1955 Larimore 292-128 2,737,044 3/ 1956 Christensen 70-84 3,035,859 5/1962 Rimmer 292-128 3,049,371 8/1962 Daly 292-128 3,212,804 10/ 1965 Hickey 292-128 ROBERT L. WOLFE, Primary Examiner 'U.S. Cl. X.R. 292-104 

